Stop Guessing. Start Measuring.
Concrete Integrity Testing : Visible cracks and surface spalling are only the symptoms; they are rarely the root cause. When assessing the viability of an existing structure, a change of use, or the extent of environmental degradation, visual inspections are fundamentally inadequate. To engineer a permanent repair or safely increase load capacity, you need empirical data on the exact chemical and physical condition of the concrete matrix.
The Danger of Surface-Level Assumptions
Concrete degrades invisibly. Carbonation gradually neutralizes the alkaline protection around steel reinforcement, chlorides from marine environments or de-icing salts penetrate deep into the substrate, and micro-cracking compromises compressive strength long before a structural failure is visible.
Relying on legacy design strength or superficial surveys leads to two dangerous outcomes: catastrophic failure due to under-engineering, or massive financial waste due to over-engineering a repair that wasn’t strictly necessary. If you do not know the exact tensile strength, compressive capacity, and chemical pathology of your asset, you cannot design a safe, compliant, or cost-effective structural intervention.
Forensic Structural Data
Structural Repairs operates at the intersection of material science and structural engineering. We do not just look at the concrete; we interrogate it. Our technical teams deploy a comprehensive suite of both destructive and non-destructive testing (NDT) methodologies to build a complete diagnostic profile of your asset.
We extract physical core samples for laboratory-controlled compressive strength crushing, conduct chemical analyses for chloride ingress and carbonation depth, and perform digital pull-off testing to verify the substrate’s tensile viability before bonding advanced composites. From half-cell potential surveys mapping active rebar corrosion to Schmidt hammer rebound testing for rapid strength profiling, we provide the exact forensic data your engineering team needs to proceed with absolute certainty.
Concrete Testing Technical FAQ
Non-destructive testing (like Ground Penetrating Radar, ultrasonic pulse velocity, or Schmidt hammer testing) assesses the concrete without damaging it, making it ideal for large-scale rapid surveys. Destructive testing involves physically removing a small sample of the material (like core extraction) or breaking the surface (like a pull-off test) to yield highly precise, laboratory-verified data. We typically use a combination of both.
The most accurate method is diamond core extraction. We drill and remove cylindrical samples of the concrete, which are then taken to a laboratory and crushed under controlled loads to measure their exact compressive failure point. We also use NDT methods to correlate and map this strength across the wider structure.
A pull-off test measures the tensile strength and surface adhesion of the concrete. We bond a steel disc (dolly) to the surface and use a calibrated digital hydraulic gauge to pull it off, measuring the exact force required to cause the concrete to fail. This is a mandatory prerequisite before applying structural repair mortars or carbon fibre strengthening systems.
Healthy concrete is highly alkaline, which protects the internal steel rebar from rusting. Carbon dioxide (carbonation) and chlorides (salts) lower this alkalinity. Once this chemical attack reaches the depth of the rebar, the steel expands and blows the concrete apart from the inside. Testing for these elements allows us to predict and halt corrosion before structural failure occurs.
